DeMarcus Cousins says he's missing UK at skills camp in Lexington

The question posed Monday to DeMarcus Cousins: On a scale of 1-10, how much do you miss UK? Without hesitation, he replied "10."

DeMarcus Cousins laughed during a game of Knockout with the campers on Monday, Aug. 1, 2011 at Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins will conduct an Elite Skills Basketball Camp, Aug. 1-3. The game involved hitting free throws or putting back your miss. Cousins won. Cousins made the NBA All Rookie first team this past season with Sacramento. Photo by David Perry | Staff

Abby Pick, 11, of Lewis County applied pressure defense on Landry James, 10, of Lexington at the Kentucky Basketball Academy on Monday. Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins, left, is conducting the Elite Skills Basketball Camp there through Wednesday.

DeMarcus Cousins worked up a sweat after he organized and competed in an impromptu three-point contest with the campers.

DeMarcus "Big Cuz" Cousins dunked on Georgetown campers Haley Mullins, 11, and Daniel Gray, 12, during an offensive drill at his Elite Skills Basketball Camp. Cousins said he'll be "talking trash to Cal and Francisco Garcia" when he and the UK alumni play the Dominican Republic.

DeMarcus "Big Cuz" Cousins dunked on campers Haley Mullins, 11, left, Georgetown, and Daniel Gray, 12, Georgetown, during a drill on offense on Monday, Aug. 1, 2011 at Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins conducted an Elite Skills Basketball Camp, Aug. 1-3. Cousins made the NBA All Rookie first team this past season with Sacramento. Photo by David Perry | Staff

DeMarcus Cousins blocked this shot in the paint by camper Dawson Swift, 10, Rineyville, during an offensive drill on Monday, Aug. 1, 2011 at Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins conducted an Elite Skills Basketball Camp, Aug. 1-3. Cousins made the NBA All Rookie first team this past season with Sacramento. Photo by David Perry | Staff

DeMarcus Cousins' face showed beads of sweat after he organized and competed in an impromptu three point contest with the campers on Monday, Aug. 1, 2011 at Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins conducted an Elite Skills Basketball Camp, Aug. 1-3. Cousins made the NBA All Rookie first team this past season with Sacramento. Photo by David Perry | Staff

Camp instructor Martiese Morones positioned Bryson Berry, 8, Lexington, during a drill on defense on Monday, Aug. 1, 2011 at Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins conducted an Elite Skills Basketball Camp, Aug. 1-3. Cousins made the NBA All Rookie first team this past season with Sacramento. Photo by David Perry | Staff

Brady Swift, 13, right, launched a three-point attempt during a shooting contest on Monday, Aug. 1, 2011 at Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. At left is Cameron Downey, 15, Paris. Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins conducted an Elite Skills Basketball Camp, Aug. 1-3. Cousins made the NBA All Rookie first team this past season with Sacramento. Photo by David Perry | Staff

Martiese Morones gave instructions to McKenzie Martin, 7, on proper defensive stance as she manuevered around cones on Monday, Aug. 1, 2011 at Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins conducted an Elite Skills Basketball Camp, Aug. 1-3. Cousins made the NBA All Rookie first team this past season with Sacramento. Photo by David Perry | Staff

Yolanda Miles, Lexington, whose son Malcolm, 15 (not pictured) is participating in the camp, talked to DeMarcus Cousins on Monday, Aug. 1, 2011 at Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins conducted an Elite Skills Basketball Camp, Aug. 1-3. Cousins made the NBA All Rookie first team this past season with Sacramento. Photo by David Perry | Staff

Brady Swift, 13, Elizabethtown, shot a "three" during a three-point contest on Monday, Aug. 1, 2011 at Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins conducted an Elite Skills Basketball Camp, Aug. 1-3. Cousins made the NBA All Rookie first team this past season with Sacramento. Photo by David Perry | Staff

DeMarcus Cousins, center, reach out to try to distract Jamale (cq) Barber, 10, Bowling Green, duirng a game of Knockout on Monday, Aug. 1, 2011 at Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. The game involves hitting freethrows and/or sinking your misses. Cousins won. Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins conducted an Elite Skills Basketball Camp, Aug. 1-3. Cousins made the NBA All Rookie first team this past season with Sacramento. Photo by David Perry | Staff

DeMarcus "Big Cuz" Cousins dunked on campers Haley Mullins, 11, left, Georgetown, and Daniel Gray, 12, Georgetown, during a drill on offense on Monday, Aug. 1, 2011 at Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins conducted an Elite Skills Basketball Camp, Aug. 1-3. Cousins made the NBA All Rookie first team this past season with Sacramento. Photo by David Perry | Staff

DeMarcus Cousins laughed during a game of Knockout with the campers on Monday, Aug. 1, 2011 at Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins will conduct an Elite Skills Basketball Camp, Aug. 1-3. The game involved hitting free throws or putting back your miss. Cousins won. Cousins made the NBA All Rookie first team this past season with Sacramento. Photo by David Perry | Staff

Khloe Martin, 7 weeks, took a laid-back approach as her sister McKenzie practiced on Monday, Aug. 1, 2011 at Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins conducted an Elite Skills Basketball Camp, Aug. 1-3. Cousins made the NBA All Rookie first team this past season with Sacramento. Photo by David Perry | Staff

Abby Pick, 11, Lewis County, put some defense on Landry James, 10, Lexington, on Monday, Aug. 1, 2011 at Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins, left, conducted an Elite Skills Basketball Camp, Aug. 1-3. Cousins made the NBA All Rookie first team this past season with Sacramento. Photo by David Perry | Staff

Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins laughed during a game of knockout with campers Monday at Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. The game involved shooting free throws and sinking missed shots before the next shooter hits. Cousins won. Photo by David Perry | Staff

DeMarcus Cousins blocked this shot in the paint by camper Dawson Swift, 10, Rineyville, during an offensive drill on Monday, Aug. 1, 2011 at Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. Former UK star DeMarcus Cousins will conduct an Elite Skills Basketball Camp, Aug. 1-3. Cousins made the NBA All Rookie first team this past season with Sacramento. Photo by David Perry | Staff

The question posed Monday to DeMarcus Cousins: On a scale of 1-10, how much do you miss UK?

Without hesitation, he replied "10."

"I miss this place," said the former University of Kentucky center who, last season, made the NBA All-Rookie first team with the Sacramento Kings. "I can't wait for the 15th. We get to play in Rupp."

Aug. 15 is when Cousins and fellow "Kentucky legends" will play on their former home court in an exhibition against the Dominican Republic national team. His teammates will include Eric Bledsoe, Keith Bogans, Jodie Meeks, Nazr Mohammed, Tayshaun Prince, Rajon Rondo and John Wall.

"It's going to be fun. Playing with John, Eric ... again — it's going to be a lot of fun. Playing with Rajon, that's going to be an experience."

With the fun, Cousins expects a victory.

"We're going to put on a show, and we're going to win," he said. "I mean, we're still undefeated in Rupp, so we're going to keep it that way."

Cousins said Garcia, a sixth-year pro, was "like my big brother" last season.

Cousins, who is listed by the Kings at 6-foot-11, 270 pounds, looked fit Monday as he took a break at the Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington. That's where his Elite Skills Basketball Camp, hosted by the Bluegrass Stallions, is taking place through Wednesday.

He also is working on his game, which has evolved with the Kings as he faces the basket and shoots more than he did during his UK season.

Now, with an NBA lockout in place, he wants to "just continue to try and get in better shape, get my body right to start the season.

"It's not really hard to find the motivation," during the lockout, he said. "I just want to increase every year and get better every year. That's my role right now. I've got to have a better season than I had my rookie season. That's my motivation."

There is the possibility that there won't be an NBA season, though.

He says that if a significant number of games are missed, he "probably will" play overseas, although he doesn't know where that might be.

He is not considering taking classes at UK, though, "because I'm basically working on me right now. I'm trying to get in the best shape possible."

Cousins averaged 14.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists over 81 games with the Kings last season.

The biggest adjustment was, he said, "trying to catch rest on the road. It's tough. Different time zones. Different bed every night. It wears you out."

He chuckled when asked what it will be like if he faces former UK teammate Josh Harrellson in the NBA. Harrellson evolved from a little-used substitute into a UK stalwart and an NBA Draft pick, landing with the New York Knicks.

"First off, I'm so proud of Josh," Cousins said. "Josh came a long way just from that one season. Josh came along, and to see Josh in a Knicks uniform, that's going to be a funny moment. It's going to be really funny, but it should be a fun game."

Cousins said UK once again has "a very talented class" of freshmen. A class that he would like to see in action.

"If the lockout does continue, you should see my face in Rupp this year," he said. "Hopefully, I can make it down. I didn't get a chance last year. My schedule."

He said he has played against two of the freshman — Marquis Teague and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. He knows about Anthony Davis and Kyle Wiltjer.

"Anthony's an incredible player. He's very talented," Cousins said. "Mike, he has a motor out the roof. And Teague — another legendary point guard coming out of UK."